Lemsip and Vapour Rub
by elfmaiden4legs
Summary: In the aftermath of Voldemort's return during GOF, Sirius is on his way to lie low at Lupin's! When he gets there however he finds him nursing a bad cold and still dealing with the after effects of the last full moon... but will Lupin lets him help?
1. Chapter 1

**Lemsip and Vapour Rub**

**_This is the first chapter of my latest Harry Potter fiction. As usual I hope you enjoy what you read, and please don't forget to REVIEW afterards! I love to get feedback for my work!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

**Chapter 1**

Although Sirius had left promptly for Lupin's place on the evening of Voldemort's vengeful attack upon Harry and his classmates at the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and subsequent and unexpected return to full form, it was to be a number of tribulant days before he was to finally meet his best friend again. Following Dumbledore's instructions to the letter in fear of giving Voldemort any, even slight advantage, which may prove ultimately disastrous to their cause, he soon grew to realise that his initial idea to make the entire journey in animagus form had been foolhardy in the least, and, owing to the urgency of the circumstances during which he now travelled, life as a dog was becoming nothing short of inconvenient. So much so that by the end of the first evening Sirius' paws ached madly, his swollen pads had been rubbed by the course ground and left bleeding, and when he finally chanced to risk the transformation back into his original human self, when he was entirely assured of the fact that there was nobody around to witness, the little weight he had gained over the past couple of years since his initial escape from Azkaban seemed lost on him now, and he appeared the shadow of the man he had indeed once been. His already gaunt appearance, the lingering affects of the twelve years that he had spent incarcerated in the wizard prison for a crime he had not committed, had been made all the more prominent in light of the extra bulk he had continued to lose in recent months, and his unkempt and dirt streaked features only served to highlight the fact that he was still a fugitive from the Ministry.

As Dumbledore had advised he visited each member of the Order in turn however, making a mental checklist of them all in his head as he journeyed, for some of them were new, too young to have fought in the last war, and many of the rest he had not seen in innumerable years. Finally however Remus' was the last place he had yet left to visit, and, although whilst he himself had benefited somewhat from the hospitality he had received from several members of the Order over the last few days, he could not deny that he had been concerned to hear that the last anybody had seen or heard of Lupin had been just before the full moon, a few weeks previous, when it had been felt by some that he had not appeared quite himself.

It had been pouring down with rain for the majority of the day by the time Sirius finally arrived at Lupin's place, and there was a renewed sense of urgency in his stride as he strode up the dimly lit path to the wood worn and peeling front door. The picture of poverty painted by this run down if not suitably humble abode provided a startling contrast to many of those homes which Sirius had visited and even found himself to be a guest within over the course of the preceding few days. However the sight he befell of his best friend appearing quite so unwell once Lupin finally responded to the persistent yelps of the great, shaggy dog, as he threw himself persistently up against the splintered doorframe, tapping with one magnificent paw upon the sopping pane of wood, was a tough sight to bear… even with prior knowledge of the tough reality of his friends affliction, and having bore witness to Lupin's constant struggle, whether it be during the agonising transformations themselves, and the toll that they took on him, both in body and mind afterwards, and his daily battle to make a life for himself following Hogwarts.

The smell of damp caught in Sirius' nostrils pungently as he resumed human form. Remus stood before him, complexion tinged with grey, the rosy blush of fever heavily prominent against his already pale skin, as his unhealthy figure shivered weakly, wracked with both inner chill and cold beneath the thin blanket draped over his shoulders.

"Sirius." He managed a small smile at the sight of his old friend. "You're soaked to the bone."

"Never mind me Remus!" Sirius spoke, failing to keep the feelings of concern he felt from his tone. "Come on, lets get you back inside before this rain soaks you through to."

"I heard about Harry." Remus spoke urgently, despite himself. "How is he?"

"He's alright, I think." Sirius explained. "Although I think we can all quite honestly say that we've had better days than these."

Remus nodded. "I'm sorry." He apologised weakly as Sirius shut the door carefully behind him, making sure to check for any sign that he had been followed before locking and bolting it however. "Had I have known that you were coming this evening my friend I would have…" although his words were suddenly swallowed up by the wracking cough which escaped him, a hoarse rasp originating from the depths of his fluid filled lungs, causing him to gasp for breath, only aggregating his already inflamed throat further, and resulting in a further, even worse coughing fit. With this Sirius followed Remus into the front room of the small house, where all he could do was to collapse onto the shabby, threadbare couch, exhausted.

As Sirius entered behind him he was not sure whether it was the dull, light of the room which cast an ashy hue over Lupin's complexion and appeared to deepen the shadows under his eyes. The room itself was a mess, quite out of keeping with Remus' usual character. His friend had very few possessions to his name, very little luxury or fortune, which was why he found it all the more startling to see Lupin's place now in such a state of disarray. There was a strange contradiction in the room between the meticulously organised and much of the furniture, which was, in the most part ruined, splinted fragments of wood littered the carpet, and the fire which burnt in the small fireplace, was down to its last embers. As Sirius looked closer he saw that the curtains, now drawn across the window, concealing view of the outside, although already patched in places, were torn around the edges, and to an experienced eye still bore several tell tale slash marks and splices.

"I'm afraid that it's been rather difficult for me to get hold of the Wolfsbane since I left Hogwarts." Lupin explained, opening his eyes again slightly and noticing Sirius' expression. "It would seem that besides Snape there are few other wizards willing to associate themselves with the brewing of that particular potion… although I get by."

Sirius screwed his face up awkwardly as he entered Remus' adjoining kitchen, finding it to be significantly lacking.

"You know the kind of life a werewolf must endure Sirius." Remus coughed, in response to the other mans silence, there was no need for him to communicate his real concern. The two had long built up an understanding of each other, and Sirius realised that Lupin knew exactly what he was thinking, without need for verbal conveyance.

He sighed, and seeing Remus' wand discarded over in the far end of the room, he made his way slowly over, not wanting to disturb his old friend, who currently appeared to have closed his eyes again, and at least for now appeared to be resting.

This was hardly the welcome he had expected from his old friend, nor the one he would have desired given the choice. Remus had been through so much already… it wasn't fare that he should have to withstand this added attack upon his immune system, although Sirius hoped that he may at least be granted a speedy recovery.

"Repairo!" He muttered as he took the wand in hand, and within a moment the room became shrouded in a cloud of dust and broken debris, suspended in mid air before, in a flash, the room was restored to its original state. It had been a while since Sirius had used a wand. However, although slightly out of practice, the effect was still satisfactory.

"How are you feeling now?" Sirius asked, finally turning his full attention back to Lupin, as he made his way back over to the other side of the room where his friend still lay, bending down gently beside him.

"Oh don't fuss Sirius." Lupin sighed, "It's just a touch of flu!"

"More than just a touch!" Sirius pointed out rather poignantly as he said this. "You have been eating though?"

Remus waved his hand dismissively with this. "What I could find." He explained, pointing a meekly outstretched finger in the direction of the kitchen as he added, "I haven't been able to go out in order to get anything else in."

Sirius sighed, rising to his feet again as he made to scrawl a note onto a spare piece of parchment which he located amongst a pile of papers, set in the far corner of the room. "I only wish I could for you." He spoke. "But I'll get a message to the Order as soon as I can. Do you have an Owl?"

Lupin nodded. "Thank You Sirius." He smiled, "I'm only sorry… I'm sorry that you couldn't have come under better circumstances."

"It's a good job Dumbledore sent me." Sirius returned his friend's gesture affectionately. "I just wish you had of told us Remus."

"We have more important matters to trouble us now…" Remus sighed. "Times are changing again Sirius."

"And Harry's going to need us more than ever…" Sirius trailed off.

But to this Remus didn't respond, further silenced by exhaustion and fatigue, he had already began to slip gradually into an even deeper, and much more restful state of sleep than Sirius expected he had seen for days…

…and perhaps that was the best medicine.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Second chapter now up. Sorry it's been a while. Please let me know what you think and don't forget to REVIEW, and as always I hope you enjoy what you read! :D**

A few hours later Remus awoke again to the clanging row of pots and pans being used in the kitchen. He opened his eyes slowly at first, feeling the weight of his eyelids, as though they had been weighed down quite heavily with lead, and the pounding of a thousand brass bands within his already throbbing head. The smell of cooking wafting in from the adjoining kitchen should have made him feel ravenous with hunger after so many days since his last decent meal, but food was still very much the last thought on Remus' mind as he sat himself up slowly. He closed his eyes as he gently massaged his throbbing temples, before finally propping himself up with one elbow, the room still spinning somewhat, and he let out an exhausted groan.

It was now that he finally remembered the reason behind his such a lack of appetite over the previous few days as the amalgamation of scents drew a sickening blow to his digestive track, and his stomach lurched and churned in accordance with his growing nausea.

Sirius emerged from the kitchen, a concerned smile curling his lips softy with this as he looked upon his friend.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

Remus let out a deep sigh, his throat still dry and raw. Every muscle and bone in his body ached and he let out a hoarse succession of hacking coughs, failing to conceal how cold he still felt as he replied, his body wracked with the violent shivering, commonly symptomatic of a fever as high as his own.

"A little better." He forced a smile.

His recent nap had certainly taken the edge off his exhaustion at least, if having done little else to relieve his other symptoms.

"I've made some soup if you're hungry." Sirius explained warmly as he came to kneel beside Lupin, his knees finally coming to settle in a rather difficult position in the small space of the room acquired to him, as he continued. "I can't guarantee that it's any good though… I never did consider myself much of a cook, and I'm afraid that any kind of culinary ability I may have previously had seems to have been lost over the years… well." He smiled. "There's not much, but I managed to find enough to make a weak broth."

"Thank you." Remus smiled gratefully. "Perhaps I may manage a little later."

Sirius put the back of his hand to his friend's forehead with this and sighed as he felt the heat beneath. Remus's skin was clammy to touch and there was still a tinge of deep grey around his sunken eyes and to his lips, as Sirius observed his friend's blanched features with concern.

"I should inform Dumbledore." He spoke. "Perhaps he could get Poppy to brew you a potion."

Remus waved his hand dismissively with this however. "There's no need for that Sirius, I'm quite alright really… I just need to rest that's all."

"Well at least let me help you upstairs." Sirius persisted. "You should be in bed Remus, you would I'm sure, at least be more comfortable."

"No!" Lupin, quite outside of his usual character, suddenly snapped, only reaffirming for Sirius that his friend was not himself. "Thank you my friend, but it's really not necessary to trouble yourself. You are right however, I think I should be a little more comfortable in my own bed." He added more softly as he sat up slowly, throwing his aching legs over the edge of the small sofa.

Sirius stood helplessly as he watched his friend try to steady his weak frame, leaning heavily upon the low arm of the couch for support as he eased himself to his feet. For a moment he offered a supporting hand, wrapped firmly around Remus' forearm to help steady his friend in his need, and Lupin smiled meekly in gratitude as he took several shaky steps in the direction of the door and small hallway outside.

"I'm here if you need anything." Sirius informed him.

"I know." Lupin responded mildly. "Thank you." He smiled.

Although as he watched his friend struggling to make his way breathlessly towards the stairs, pausing slightly as he leant heavily upon the banister, giving in to another bout of wracking, successive coughs before making his way upstairs Sirius resolved to, despite his friends objections, inform the Order as soon as possible of their friend's current condition.

Remus could be stubborn and foolish in matters concerning his own well being at times Sirius mused, and to see him now weaker than he had ever seen him before, and yet perhaps more mind set also, had given Sirius himself a resolve of mind quite uncharacteristic of his regular nature… although perhaps still to rival that of Remus', and he resolved to send word to the Order as soon as he was possibly able.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

**So here it is, as requested, a third chapter! I hope you enjoy, and please don't forget to REVIEW!**

A few hours later Sirius lay dozing before a freshly stoked fire, although his journey had left him exhausted, and his concern for Remus only adding to both his already weary body and mind, he had however magically charmed the hearth to maintain its warmth and to restoke itself whenever it threatened to go out completely, without need of real flame nor fire. There he lay un-stirring for several long minutes at a time, revelling in the need to do nothing very much at all for the first time in weeks, except perhaps for the essential tidying of the small living room, and ensuring that the fresh broth be sufficiently stored and siphoned off into equal measure so it could be reheated and eaten later if required. These jobs now put aside however Sirius was at last free to himself relax, and as the false cracking of illusive flames lulled his tired eyes into leaded heaviness, he found that he could no longer resist the sleep which had been alluring him for so long. That is however until a sudden noise woke him with a start, and he awoke to see the figure of Molly Weasley just beginning to emerge from the fireplace, a plume of chalky green smoke and flame already beginning to disperse around her.

"Sirius." She smiled, as Sirius sat bolt upright at the sight before him, it hadn't occurred to him that someone in the order may use the floo network in order to visit them. He smiled warmly at her, not knowing what else to do in his surprise as Molly clasped his hand in greeting.

"How are you doing?" She asked as he rose in response. "I must say you're looking a little drawn yourself Sirius."

"I can assure you I'm much better rested since being here." He assured her brightly, quickly gaining his composure despite lingering sleep. "But how's Harry?" He asked.

"Dumbledore has his eye on him." Molly informed him. "You needn't concern yourself there… and Remus?" She enquired carefully.

"Resting last time I checked on him." Sirius explained, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with a tired yawn. "He doesn't seem to have had a wink of proper sleep since the last full moon, so perhaps that's the best thing for him at the moment."

"Ron and Hermione wanted to come to but…" She faltered suddenly as though unsure how to proceed with this statement however, "Well I wasn't sure."

"He's not an animal Molly!" Sirius suddenly snapped, courteously clearing a space for her to sit on the chair adjacent to the sofa on which he had, until recently, been resting.

It was a prime example that mere minutes prior Sirius could have been laying, quietly dozing in the unlikely comfort of Remus' living room, and now sitting, fully conscious, although not so thoroughly rested, immersed on conversation with Molly Weasley, to just how unpredictable and unsettled life for them all had become lately.

"I know Sirius!" Molly immediately corrected herself however, "but he's sick, and it's not too far off until the next full moon, and we have no idea why he's sick yet! I couldn't risk allowing the children to come to, Remus wouldn't have wanted them to!"

With this Sirius nodded in full understanding of Molly's pint of view however. Had it of been Harry wanting to come along with Ron and Hermione he wouldn't have wanted him to see Lupin in this state, and he was sure that it wouldn't have been what Remus would have wanted… if he had of been in any condition to voice his opinion on the subject.

"I was thinking of asking Poppy to make him up a potion perhaps when he's a little less exhausted." Sirius explained. "He could do with bringing his fever down, and he had a cough that I don't quite like the sound of, but I don't think this has anything directly to do with his transformations, he's just been substantially weakened by the last full moon.

"Well it can't have done him much good living in these damp conditions." Molly pointed out attentively with this. "Dry, and warm, that's what he needs to be if he's ill, and plenty of bed rest." She added. "Trust me Sirius, I'm a mother, and you don't get to bring six children up without learning a thing or two through the years. He's lucky if he hasn't caught pneumonia, just a rather bad lung infection at the very least from what you've just told me."

"Oh Molly!" She suddenly stopped short however as Sirius cut in, and she looked up to see him now sitting desperately with his head in his hands. "Oh course you're right!" He continued. "But just look at this place! Just look around you! How could he have been reduced to this? Who really cares enough for just another werewolf?"

"_We_ all do Sirius!" Molly stated reassuringly with this however. "Dumbledore does… who do you think sent me? He wouldn't stand back and see Remus suffer, and you know the type of person Remus is. He wouldn't ask for much, no fuss, no attention forced upon him."

Sirius nodded.

"But you of all people should know that as a friend of the Order, none of us would knowingly see him suffer in silence, so." She concluded finally with asking, "Where is he now?"


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

**Hey all, I'd just like to appologise for the ridiculous amount of time it's taken me to update this story! But as you should all know by now (or at least my regular readers) I try and update when I can but make no promises about when, as I write when and for whatever the mood takes me! Anyway, here you go, chapter 4 is now up, and as usual I hope you enjoy what you read! I hope the wait has been worth it! Oh, and as usual, please don't forget to REVIEW!**

The bedroom door creaked open louder than Molly Weasley would have ideally intended as she entered. Swinging open upon its well rusted and worn hinges a few moments later to permit her entrance to Lupin's bed chamber. The run down sleeping quarters, barely sufficient in their means of provision for even one in the best of vigour, let alone Remus in his current state of ill health… four peeling walls, damp evident in every corner of the room, as the sweet, musty odour of eroding wood filled the concerned witch's nostrils.

As her eyes finally adjusted to the unnatural dark shadow and distinct lack of natural light permeating throughout the chamber her gaze finally came to settle upon the image of Remus, his shivering form curled up in bed in the far right corner of the room, the sheets pulled up as tightly around his ailing frame as was apparently possible. As she gently clicked the door closed behind her, he rolled over onto his side and opened his eyes. He was so pale so as to appear to have no colour left at all, you could have held a sheet of parchment up alongside his ghostly complexion and there would be little evident difference… apart from the fevered blush of rosy pink to his cheeks.

"Molly." He managed a weak smile, tone so raspy that the voice was barely distinguishable as his own.

"I'm sorry Remus, I didn't mean to wake you." Molly made her apology as she made her way over to the bedside. She looked down at him sympathetically for a moment, before perching herself carefully at the foot of his bed.

"You didn't." Lupin coughed with this, a wheezy rasp which immediately disturbed much of the fluid which had began to settle on his chest and congeal in his aching lungs, and Molly could immediately tell how very ill he was. "I wasn't asleep." He continued with this. "I couldn't… just resting!"

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I know it looks awful… but I've felt worse." He explained. "You get used to it after a time…" He continued mildly.

Molly Weasley sighed, only Remus Lupin, of all wizards, would down-play something quite as serious as was becoming evident.

"That I can believe, coming from you!" She spoke, her tone emphatic and regretful. She placed a cooling hand to his forehead, and watched as he sank into this brief relief from the fire of his fever. Before taking a damp cloth from a bowl of water on Remus' bedside table, evidently placed there by Sirius, ringing it out, and pressing it to the werewolf's forehead.

"You're lucky that you haven't caught pneumonia!" She chided him with this.

"To be honest," he replied, "I'm not sure I already haven't… just don't tell Sirius!"

As if to emphasize his point at this he was suddenly wracked with a violent succession of dry, chesty coughing, and Molly Weasley was immediately up and at his side, struggling to settle him as Remus fought for breath, watching as this breath caught in his throat and chest, inflaming his already raw and infected lungs further. The pain each wrenching cough brought him became alarmingly evident, leaving Molly Weasley to suspect pneumonia to be a strong possibility. It was quite clear to her experienced eye that Remus must have been ailing for quite some time, deteriorating silently, illness and the cough having already had chance to take hold.

She sighed, "Why didn't you tell us you were evidently so ill?" She asked, fluffing Remus' pillows as he attempted to sit up, helping him to rest upright in bed.

"It shouldn't be your burden to bare." He responded, once he was again comfortable. "Who sent you anyway? Evidently Sirius must have informed the Order." Although this was said very much in the manner of general conversation than any genuine resentment meant behind the words.

"Dumbledore." Molly replied to this after a moment. "As soon as they heard that you were sick Ron and Hermione wanted to come to… but I thought it best to access the situation first." She faltered, not sure as to Remus' likely response to this, although to her surprise he smiled.

"A wise decision Molly." He concluded. "I certainly wouldn't want to think of them exposed to this… especially part way through their summer holidays. Let them enjoy themselves whilst they still can, it won't be long now before they have a tough enough fight on their hands… besides I know what's concerning you the most… I know that the full moon's approaching!" He explained, and noticing the other woman's slightly guilty and hesitant expression at this he continued, managing a weak smile.

"I'm… sorry Remus." She faltered. "You know how much you mean to the all of us!"

"It's alright." He reassured her. "Really… I understand. I wouldn't want them here myself under such circumstances."

"Sirius didn't seem to think so when I told him." The kindly witch remarked.

"His hearts in the right place Molly." Remus explained with a yawn, showing the first signs of exhaustion beginning to take its hold. "You must remember that he's a shunned man himself… Azkaban, it hurts people, deeply. He's spent twelve years paying the price for a crime that he didn't commit… thinking he'd lost everyone who ever meant anything to him. I know how that feels… and he in turn understands the poverty a werewolf must endure… he just forgets how dangerous I can be sometimes."

Suddenly he closed his eyes, breathing immediately heavy and chest tight, as he lowered himself gently back down onto the bed.

"Remus?" Molly asked, with concern.

"I'm alright, just tired Molly…" Remus explained reassuringly. "Need to rest…"

Molly Weasley looked around the small bedchamber in disgust at this, at the thought that Lupin should be reduced to living in conditions such as these. It was no wonder that he was so ill. The damp became even more evident sitting here now, the stale odour of decay catching in the back of her throat and nose with every breath, and the cool air effecting a distinct chill this damp evening, freezing her to the bone, despite the warmth of her thick hand knitted jumper.

Sirius too was going to need somewhere dry and warm to stay during the following few days she considered, exhausted, and not being in the best of health himself, it wouldn't otherwise be long before he too would likely succumb as Lupin had.

"You can't stay here Remus!" She concluded after a moment.

Remus' eyes immediately shot open to this, despite his obvious fatigue, as he fixed Molly with a questioning look.

"You need to be kept dry and warm… two things which this place doesn't seem to have much in the way of to offer at the moment. The Order I'm sure will be able to put you up in more suitable accommodation until you're better! Dumbledore…"

"Has more important things on his minds at the moment!" Lupin pointed out, adamant at this.

"You can't stay here Remus!" Molly reiterated with equal venom to this statement however, her mind already made up. "Not if you want to have any hope of getting better this side of the next full moon, and Harry's going to need all the help he can get during the tough few months ahead."

Remus sighed, as he closed his eyes again wearily, resigning himself to sleep… he knew that she was right.

With this Molly Weasley relented, allowing Remus a few hours of much needed rest before she realised that they'd have to move him.

"We'll think of something." She reassured him, ironing out the heap of threadbare sheets with her hands, before draping them higher around his shivering frame and heading quietly for the door… realising with some relief that Lupin had already drifted into a much deeper and healing state of sleep as she left.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

**Hey all, well I know it's been rediculosly long since I last updated! I am sorry! But I'd like to thank you all for your patience, and all I can say is that I have a lot going on and am very busy at the moment! Chapter 5 is now up though (as you can see), and I hope you enjoy! I'm not sure when my next update will come, as you will all realise by now, I do have a tedancy to have several stories running at the same time, and limited time in which to write! Hopefully this will come as a nice surprise to many of you who have been following this particular story of mine, and will at least let you know that I have by no means given up on this one! Oh and as usual please don't forget to REVIEW!**

"He can't stay here Sirius!" Molly Weasley reiterated about an hour later to the evidently weary wizard, as the pair sat at a makeshift dining table which Sirius had hastily had erected, with the help of Lupin's wand, following Molly Weasley's unexpected arrival. Remus Lupin lay curled up, shivering, in a semi-foetal position, where he had collapsed upon the small patchwork sofa not half an hour since… apparently asleep.

His body convulsed so violently that the thick woollen blanket shielding him from the distinctly cool damp of the room slipped, at that moment, from his shoulders, and with this Molly got to her feet, rather weary with worry herself by now, and made her way quietly over to Lupin, placing the back of her hand to his clammy forehead as she tucked the blanket tenderly around his suffering frame once more, testing for the ever present and continuing signs of fever.

His skin was still an unhealthy grey hew, his cheeks flushed a deep pink, and his forehead burned red hot with the extent of his temperature.

"He's getting worse." She concluded gravely after a moment.

Sirius sighed, gazing, deeply concerned, at his old friend with this. Lupin had required the two of them to help manoeuvre him from his room, and down the stairs, upon which, although he'd initially appeared somewhat recovered since Sirius' initial arrival, when Molly had spoken with him only an hour beforehand, he'd collapsed weary and exhausted onto the sofa, and remained there dozing, fitfully, ever since.

With this however, as Molly Weasley finally resumed her seat beside Sirius, he started to stir restlessly, and awoke.

Sirius smiled as Remus' sickly and exhausted gaze fell upon his closest friend. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Just a little tired." Lupin sighed with this, before turning to address Mrs Weasley. "You know Molly," He smiled mildly, "you really didn't have to go to all the trouble of bringing me back down here… you neither Sirius, it's bad enough that I should be forced to live in such a state of near poverty, I'd hate to think of myself, nor my situation, as a burden to you all!" He continued.

"You're not!" Molly firmly reassured him at this.

"Never!" Sirius smiled. "Besides, compared to Azkaban this is practically a palace." He mused, although he did not feel very heartily mannered. At that moment the breath caught in the back of Remus' throat, and fluid filled lungs, causing him to cough… a succession of deep rasping gasps, and Molly Weasley was up again and at his side, rubbing his back tentatively, in an instant.

"We were just discussing where best to take you Remus." She remarked soothingly, taking a seat beside him as he sat cautiously upright and leant against the arm of the chair, a crooked smile spread across his painfully pale features, and Mrs Weasley gently replaced the blanket, smoothing down the corners as it slipped from his shoulders.

"Thank you Molly." He sighed in his gratitude. "But there's really no need to fuss on my account. This is what I've grown used to… and it's really not so bad. I'll be alright."

"Nonsense!" She scolded, before continuing, "Just because you've grown used to it Remus, doesn't mean you have to suffer in silence! Especially when you've got friends who care enough… we're not going to stand back and let you suffer! We just need to think of somewhere safe, somewhere secure and secret, where we're not going to be discovered!"

"Please, don't fuss Molly!" Remus pleaded.

"You can't stay here Remus!" She stated finally, and Remus, tentatively massaging each throbbing temple with aching knuckles, realised that he was beaten and finally relented, nodding gently.

"We could take him to Grimuald Place." Sirius suggested suddenly.

Molly turned to him attentively with this. "Grimuald Place?" She asked. "The place hasn't been lived in for years Sirius… it's not likely to be much better than here!"

"It's dry, and warm Molly." Sirius pointed out at this. "There's running water, proper amenities, and all of the rooms are still fully furnished and laundered. Admittedly it could do with a fresh touch of paint, and there's nothing a thorough spring cleaning couldn't put right, but it's safe, and secure… and it's better than here Molly!"

"I'm not convinced Sirius…" Mrs Weasley faltered, before Sirius interrupted her.

"I've already offered it to Dumbledore as Headquarters for the Order Molly." He explained, before turning to glance in Remus' direction with this. "Besides…" He continued, pointing to his old friend and diverting the kindly witch's attention back to where Lupin sat beside her, "I don't see that we've got much other choice." He continued, as Molly turned to see that Remus Lupin, exhausted, had already fallen asleep again beside her.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

It took Sirius and Mrs Weasley several hours to move the exhausted and semi-conscious Remus from his own small, and poorly equipped house to Grimuald Place, although delusional with a high fever and barely lucid it would be several days before the werewolf would be in any fit state to recall what little of the move he had been lucid enough to remember, merely fleeting images as he was manoeuvred surprisingly gently from the damp and musty air of his own four decaying walls, into the unfamiliar comfort of the warmth and dry of a house better kempt and although unoccupied for many years, a step up from his own, only briefly recalling the cold, wet feel of the outside's chill air and drizzled rain against his clammy and fevered skin at some point during their journey, before he'd been placed in a soft, warm bed, the mattress bringing a welcome relief to his aching joints and stiff back, and the covers drawn up tightly around him.

Lupin continued to rest for the following couple of days, as Sirius kept vidual over his ailing friend's bedside. Mrs Weasley had had to return to The Burrow, shortly after their arrival at Grimuald Place to take care of her own young family, particularly now with the summer holidays drawing to a close and the start of the new term approaching. However she'd sent over a large cauldron of rich chicken broth, crammed full with fresh vegetables and magically charmed to remain fresh and even re-heat itself as soon as Remus began to feel even the slightest first pangs of hunger. Even Ron and Hermione had in Harry's absence been writing to Sirius on an almost daily basis, and even occasionally using the flu network, ensuring that everything was now going well, or at least showing some signs of improvement with their ex-Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, to which Sirius had reassured them that they would surely be seeing each other again soon, if only to put an end to the alarming influx of owls that had started arriving at the ancient house shortly after their arrival, and which were sure to draw attention to their presence.

Finally, as Remus' fever broke however and he gradually started to wake up, his special awareness returning to him Sirius found to his relief his friend able to stomach small amounts of the rich chicken broth, and although still detectably unwell as Lupin's appetite gradually increased over the following few days Sirius found himself beginning to dwell upon the initial matter in hand, which had initially dragged him back under Dumbledore's instruction to his best friend's home in the first place, thinking despairingly about the last time many years since now, during the last war, although in many more ways it still felt like yesterday. Sirius appeared so distracted in fact that he failed to notice the first signs of soreness like sandpaper at the back of his throat, the painful throbbing between his eyes, which sent pulsating painful rays shooting up into the back of his head, nor the insensible chill which wracked his body and his difficulty in maintaining warmth.

The first time Remus awoke, for the briefest few minutes, he became vaguely aware that he was lying against a soft, warm mattress, the thick duvet pulled up to his shoulders, just below his collar bone, and a steady stack of feather pillows supporting his still slightly throbbing head, before drifting back into sleep. He'd become vaguely aware of a silhouetted figure sitting beside him and as the days went by he realised it to be Sirius. It vaguely reminded him of a time when they'd all once been students at Hogwarts themselves and his friends had insisted on taking care of him… but that all seemed irrelevant now, far too many years ago, in a different times entirely, oh how the tables turned, how the world changed, he thought. Finally with each time he awoke he found himself feeling slightly less exhausted than before, and was eventually able to sit up, and started to talk.

During the first few days as Remus' strength improved, although during which time he still found himself too weak to get out of bed he explained to Sirius that although feeling under the weather, it had been a particularly difficult full moon which had left him weakened and unable to fight off the infection. Sirius knew of the potential properties of the wolfsbane, that although unable to prevent a transformation entirely, it not only made the drinker safe during each full moon but reduced the pain of the transformations themselves, and it was a well known fact that some of those who took the potion regularly had found it to have significant benefits in aiding their recovery… however Remus did not have such ready access to the wolfsbane as some, and Sirius recognised that although turning a corner his friend was still far from healthy and evidently unwell.

Dumbledore was too busy to pay Remus a personal visit in the days immediately preceding his relocation to Grimuald Place, although he sent his regards and best wishes for a speedy recovery, and Madame Pomfrey had sent a variety of potions and remedies, soothing potions to drink, and herbal dressings to add to his food and further help to improve his appetite. A surprise package had even arrived a few days after Remus had settled into Sirius' family home, containing three large viles of wolfsbane and a rather begrudging note from Snape, stating that he had better things to do with his time than to brew the copious amounts of the potion required by Remus.

A week after their arrival however, on the seventh day, Remus awoke to realise that Sirius was no longer sitting, perched in the armchair which had evidently having been magically charmed, looking rather out of place in the vast and predominantly empty space of his sleeping quarters, at his bedside. He propped himself up weakly, holding his head briefly in his hands and rubbing his sore and tired eyes wearily with the warm palm of his hand as the room began to spin. He sat in near silence for a time, although whether for mere seconds or indeed minutes passed by he couldn't be certain, trying to still his spinning head, and wait for his vision to clear as it had begun to blur, fading and darkening at the edges.

He felt slightly nauseous, his stomach in its delicacy doing mini somersaults, and his head throbbed slightly, and painfully at the temples, and just behind the eyes. Even so he was relieved to find himself feeling significantly better than he had done so over the previous week, and so, cautiously, he dragged the several layers of covers from himself and gently manoeuvred his legs over the side of the bed.

"Sirius?" He croaked, and was shocked by the weakness of his own voice. He couldn't remember it having being so empty over the past couple of days whilst talking to Sirius… but then again although he presumed himself having been lucid enough, he still struggled to recall the finer details of the last couple of days.

The cool air radiating from the cracks of the old window and the cold wood tiled floor proved quite a sudden shock to Remus' system initially, and he shivered as he sat there, listening for any sign of his friends near presence, although the hallway remained strangely silent. Remus tried calling Sirius one last time, slightly louder this time around as his strength gradually returned, although the cry came out strained and hurt the back of his throat, and after receiving no response for a second time, and giving himself a brief moment in which to recover, he decided to venture out to determine Sirius' whereabouts.

Using the bedside unit to support his weight he weakly put his feet to the ground and tried to stand up. His legs shook violently after several long days without use, and as he cautiously slackened his grip on the unit beside him, his legs finally gave way from under him and he fell forwards to the ground. After several further, and shaky attempts however he was finally able to support himself, and put one tentative step in front of the other, leaning against the wall for extra support when he could, and eventually he made it to the door, turning the knob, and with a sharp creak found himself on the landing… or one of many landings as it would so transpire.

Making his way down the long and winding staircase proved another challenge however, trying not to loose his footing or slip as Remus had to carefully balance the sole of his foot and toes over the edge of one step, whilst keeping the ball firmly cemented on solid ground, and slide his other foot gently down onto the step below. In fact the whole process seemed to drain whatever little strength he seemed to have recovered over the past few days in some very little time at all, and in no time he felt exhausted, sweat dripping from his brow.

On more than one occasion he had to perch himself down on the stairs to rest, leaning his warm cheek against the cool banister, although every time he had to do this it only made it harder for him to get back up again… although despite this, he finally made it.

Once downstairs it didn't take Lupin very long to find Sirius however. As Remus entered the dark and dank kitchen, noticing his friend perched at the other end of a long dining table, his head resting over what looked to Lupin now to be a giant mixing bowl, he took a deep intake of breath, stifling a small cough as the menthol vapours of what smelt to the werewolf to be a surprising concoction of eucalyptus and mint stung the back of his throat, it did however have the more desirable effect of opening up his blocked and painful sinuses.

"Sirius, it smells like there's been an explosion in a vapour rub factory in here." He remarked.

"Remus!" Sirius jumped, looking up at the sound of his friend's voice. "You should be in bed!" He scolded, taking in his friend's pale complexion, the slight grey hew still evident when set against the deep red flush of his cheeks, the sweat dripping from him as a result of his recent exertion… and although evidently very much better he was still clearly not yet quite recovered enough to be up and about.

"So should you by the look of you Sirius." Lupin observed, taking in his friend's pale complexion, the vague pink flush of his cheeks the only indication of his slight fever, as he took a seat at the other end of the table, his legs no longer able to support his deadweight, and with this Sirius couldn't very easily deny his friend's observation, although he could but only try.

"It's just a cold Remus… nothing but a bit of a sniffle, I'll be alright." He dismissed the werewolf's concern. "But what about you, you're not well enough to be up and around yet, you look exhausted!" He offered up his own observation of his friend's condition with this. "Come on, let's get you back to bed!" He instructed.

As he rose from his seat however, his lungs were wracked by a coughing fit, not quite as violent nor intense as the one which had attacked Remus' lungs on the evening of Sirius' initial arrival at his friend's place a few days earlier, but enough to cause the werewolf concern none the less. Sirius placed one pale and now, evidently clammy hand, to his mouth with this to stifle the series of coughs as the other reached to rub vigorously at his evidently aching chest, as with this he had no choice but to lower his by now shivering form back into his vacant seat.

"That's evidently more than a cold Sirius, and you know it!" Remus pointed out disapprovingly with this, tone weak, although evidently full of concern. "Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"Because there was no need." Sirius responded matter of factly. "You needed to rest, and you've needed someone to take care of you, as evidently you can't take care of yourself!" He remarked, although not unsympathetically. "Besides, I woke up this morning with the cough and feeling like the way you see me now… I've felt very little sign of sickness over the past few days!"

"You need to rest!" Remus insisted, and with these both men's eyes locked in silent gaze.

"And who's going to look after you then Remus?" Sirius asked. "You're still sick… too weak to be out of bed ideally. In fact I'd say it's no small feat that you managed to make it all the way down here from your bedroom completely unaided this morning… I don't even know how we're going to manage to get you back to bed in this state, you're exhausted!"

"And if you don't rest Sirius, you're only going to get sicker… you'll be no good to anyone if you run yourself into the ground… and believe me, I know!" Remus explained forcibly. "And what about Harry… he'll be here soon! The school holidays are nearly drawing to a close… he's going to want to see you healthy, so that you can make the most of what little time you're going to have together before the beginning of term! Stop worrying about me! I have the wolfsbane to see me through now, and, as I keep saying, anyway, I'm used to it!"

There was a sudden glint of what could have been perceived as both relief and somewhat surprised joy in his friends eye, that Remus was now feeling enough himself to put up a significant fight at this, however, with this, as if on cue, Sirius was suddenly gripped by another, even more vigorous coughing fit than before, and, moving quickly, made a mad dash for the sink, where the convulsions which wracked the muscles in both his chest and abdomen unrelentingly caused him to dry heave into the basin… although not though any real feelings of sickness. Finally when the fit which had seized him had eventually calmed Sirius hung his head, nodding in silent resignation however.

"I'll contact Molly." He suggested at last. "Let her and the Order know…" before turning to face his friend with this, a small smile etched into his features despite himself as his gaze fixed upon Remus, Lupin's own eyes scrutinising Sirius with concerned concentration, every once of what little energy he had left present in the gesture, before Sirius remarked with some small suggestion of good humour to his tone, "At least it's good to see you at least up and about Remus… but some summer this is turning out to be!"


	7. Epiogue

**Epilogue**

**OK, well here it is, final chapter! I'm not too sure that I am entirely happy with the outcome of this chapter, but I really don't have anymore time to spend on it, and i at least leaves off where I wanted the story to end! I at least hope that you enjoy, and that you've also enjoyed reading the rest of this fiction! Thank you to those who have stuck with me since the beginning, I hope that it was worth it... and now, as is the case when I come to the end of any of my stories, there is only one thing left to do! Please don't forget to REVIEW my final chapter!**

A few hours after receiving Sirius' owl Molly Weasley arrived at Grimuald Place with the whole of the Weasley family and Hermione in tow. Their relocation was not free from it's own fare share of hassle and little inconveniences, although the Order had sent message on ahead for Sirius to expect a number of houseguests for the remainder of the summer holidays, and Sirius, despite still feeling distinctly under the weather was evidently more than happy to accommodate them.

He'd settled Remus on the sofa in one of the many rooms overlooking the front of the house and the unsuspecting street outside, which received the most light, in the hope that this might make him feel in the slightest bit better and a little less isolated as he caught brief snippets of the streets noise; cars passing by, and children shouting joyously, and maybe not so much, as the local muggles went about their daily business, oblivious of the whole other world which existed right on their very doorsteps. Sirius had then plied him with cups of hot sweet tea, thin soups and broth, adding just a little bread in the hope that Remus would now be able to stomach something a little more solid, and covered his still slightly shivering frame in layers of woolly and fleecy blankets.

In hindsight it did in fact make more sense for the Order to have as many of their number as possible located under one roof, for their own safety and security, as much as convenience, as it had been well recognised during the last war that there was at least some safety to be gained in numbers, and shortly after the Weasley's arrival several other familiar faces had turned up at the Black's crumbling ancestral home including Alistor 'Mad Eye' Moody, a pretty young and newly emerging witch, whom Sirius had only met a couple of times before, named Nymphadora Tonks, and Minerva Magonagal accompanied much to everyone's distaste and annoyance, and apparently his own, by Severus Snape.

Snape hadn't remained in the small groups company any longer than was necessary, and had willingly discharged himself as soon as had been conveniently possible with the seemingly reluctant, and ill mannered, excuse that he had some crucial lead of Dumbledore's in which to follow up on behalf of the Hogwart's Headmaster… and Sirius certainly hadn't been sorry to see him leave.

It later turned out that the Order had received news that Voldemort had stepped up his method of attack upon Harry, and now had the Dementors of Azkaban on his side. Dumbledore was now beginning to gather the Order in preparation to formulate their next plan of action. However for the moment Molly's immediate priority appeared to be Lupin, as he'd immediately been ushered back off to bed, with the help of Arthur Weasley, and Sirius had found himself rapidly herded in the direction of the kitchen, where he'd been planted down at the kitchen table with a steaming bowl of hot chicken broth placed under his nose, and expected to eat every last bite.

Lupin was still very ill, and quite a way off from making a full recovery, Sirius was sure of that. He'd seen how pale and weak he'd been, having to take one careful step at a time as his shaky legs had struggled to support him as Mr Weasley had helped him ascend the staircase back to his bedroom earlier, despite Molly's compassionate attempts to shield him from his friend's plight, with the insistence that he a least start to take care of himself now… but Sirius was determined that he was going to see his best of friend's through.

He had himself in fact already began to feel very much recovered with the prospect of seeing the house, so quiet these last few days, full to bursting, and busy again, and discussions going on that Dumbledore was now planning to get Harry out of Little Winging as soon as possible.

He was sure that Lupin would now have a better chance of making a more rapid recovery, with more people around to take on the shared load of his care, until he was strong enough to start looking after himself again. But in the meantime Sirius realised that the time had now come for the Order to get down to the serious business as to what they were now all going to do about Voldemort, as it became concerningly evident that the Dark Lord continued to rise back to the pedestal of power he'd occupied all those long and brutal years ago, and regain much of long since lost authority as his followers continued to, on by one, creep out from underneath the rock under which they'd once crawled and return to him.

But despite the gravity and the darkness of the battle which they now faced, Sirius could at least gain brief moments of contentment from the preparations he would now be required to make for Harry's imminent arrival, and despite the heavy load which they were now all carrying Sirius revelled in the fact that he was sure to be seeing his much loved God son very soon.


End file.
